Eating bass, or other fish you catch. (PSA only)

[TnRiver46]

Here is a list of contaminants in TN waters, it’s quite specific 

[N Florida Mike]

I know it would be hard to track but have any of you ever known of a case where someone died from it and knew it?

Florida used to say about some waters that they recommended not eating bass with high mercury content more than once a week, except expectant mothers or kids.

Ive known a lot of fish eaters ( including me) , but Ive never met one that ate fish  that often. I eat a lot of saltwater fish when I have time to catch some but

Im not worried about our occasional  fish fry of smaller size bass…

[padlin]

12 hours ago, PUTitinYOURmouthFISH said:

You fish in MA? Know any good spots?

 

I know a few spots that were very good before Covid, not so anymore, now they are just mediocre.

 

I read something about the PCB readings at the GE site in Pittsfield being the highest ever recorded. Supposed to clear itself up in some hundreds of years, guess I'll wait to fish it again.

 

[Basser2021]

On 9/25/2022 at 6:59 PM, Woody B said:

If you're going to eat bass, or any other fish you catch make sure there isn't any warnings.   Some lakes in both NC and SC have warning for various species.   I've been meaning to take a picture of this notice that posted at South Point landing on Lake Wylie.   If the text doesn't come through in the picture is basically says pregnant women or women of childbearing age, as well as children under 15 should eat largemouth bass from the lake.  All other people should limit themselves to a maximum of 2 servings per month.   The warnings on the state web site say "black bass" not Largemouth.   

 

I never eat largemouth but smallmouth taste pretty good. 

[slonezp]

On 9/25/2022 at 9:20 PM, A-Jay said:

Are there any warnings out on the square fish at McDonald's ?

A-Jay

Alaskan caught pollock. Saw a show years ago, the fish are processed as quickly as they are caught

[islandbass]

Our lakes in WA state according to the WDFW are naturally high in mercury and so such warnings do exist here.

 

However, you will not know this since most lakes do not post the warning. While some lakes have the warning(s) posted, the only other way anyone will find out is if they actually read the state pamphlet. 
 

 

 

[Woody B]

18 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve got signs at the access points. They have bullet holes in them but most are legible baha

 

Great......... Now I'm going to have to shoot the signs at the landing.  .

 

Should I use a handgun or shotgun up close or shoot them from across the lake with my 50 cal?

[TnRiver46]

54 minutes ago, Woody B said:

 

Great......... Now I'm going to have to shoot the signs at the landing.  .

 

Should I use a handgun or shotgun up close or shoot them from across the lake with my 50 cal?

It depends on what you are trying to spell 

[Bankc]

On 9/26/2022 at 12:17 PM, N Florida Mike said:

I know it would be hard to track but have any of you ever known of a case where someone died from it and knew it?

Florida used to say about some waters that they recommended not eating bass with high mercury content more than once a week, except expectant mothers or kids.

Ive known a lot of fish eaters ( including me) , but Ive never met one that ate fish  that often. I eat a lot of saltwater fish when I have time to catch some but

Im not worried about our occasional  fish fry of smaller size bass…

Death isn't really the concern.  It's possible, but highly unlikely.  Heavy metals are usually the issue.  And heavy metal poisoning leads to symptoms like memory and emotional problems, headaches, tremors and twitching, muscle weakness, numbness, difficulty sleeping, and lots of other weird symptoms.  The effects are slow and cumulative, since the heavy metals build up over time and don't easily leave your system once they get in.  So these symptoms don't show up all at once, so they can be hard to recognize.  And their onset is so gradual, you'll often think it's just part of getting older or the way you've always been.  

 

In any case, it's a concern, but it's not like the occasional fish fry is going to ruin your health.  There are heavy metals in most drinking water supplies and foods we eat.  You're not going to be able to completely avoid heavy metal exposure.  It's a fact of life.  And our bodies can tolerate some amount.  It's just smart, like most things, to keep it in moderation.  

[T-Billy]

On 9/26/2022 at 11:48 AM, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve got signs at the access points. They have bullet holes in them but most are legible baha

Ha!!! Same here in my neck of the woods. Hillbillies are hillbillies wherever you find us!!!

[Darth-Baiter]

my lakes, the people in charge spray RoundUp to control weed growth along the edges.  I am not in that industry, so I cannot comment on how wise or unwise that is.  I know it does work controlling the weed growth.  the bass I pull out of the "brown" have these open sores, which eventually heal - I hope.

 

I am not eating that fish!!  I love fish.  I dont love freshwater fish that much, with the exception of Walleye.  my jam, are the ones in the ocean.  which ironically, the ocean kinda scares me.  (kayak)

[TnRiver46]

48 minutes ago, Bankc said:

 There are heavy metals in most drinking water supplies and foods we eat.  

Excellent point. The same people that say “I’m not eating fish out of that nasty river” drink the water out of that nasty river. And it’s treated with stuff you have to wear a hazmat suit to handle haha. Don’t get me wrong, i guzzle loads of tap water everyday, just the price of doing business I guess. Pick your poison 

[bulldog1935]

In spite of mercury warnings, eating stripers from our tailwater is fair payback. 

 

John's state record was helped by the 5 rainbows in its gullet, up to 18"

Stripers routinely snag rainbows coming to the net. 

[gim]

6 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my lakes, the people in charge spray RoundUp to control weed growth along the edges.  I am not in that industry, so I cannot comment on how wise or unwise that is.  I know it does work controlling the weed growth.

That's been controlled up here for years now.  Farmers use "roundup ready" corn and soybeans.  Crops are resistant to it but it kills everything else trying to grow in their fields.

 

The bigger issue is nitrogen and phosphates in our waterways here.  Every time we get a rain, it all runs off into ditches and streams and eventually ends up in rivers.  Several years ago, Minnesota passed a new buffer strip law here.  There was a lot of resistance from the agriculture industry but it passed.  It requires a buffer strip of natural grassland/brush/trees along every waterway so they can't plant row crops right up to the edge anymore.  Its making a difference not only in terms of water quality, but has also added miles and miles of habitat for wildlife.  Unfortunately, not every other state has done this yet.  Iowa and the Dakotas haven't done it.  The Des Moines River is so polluted in Iowa with agricultural runoff that the city of Des Moines is thinking of digging a massive well instead of continuing to try and treat the river water for urban use.  Removing nitrates from drinking water is extremely expensive.

 

A lot of crop farmers consider themselves to be the "stewards of the land."  There is also another saying that refers to them as "sewers of the land."  You decide which one they should be called.  As previously mentioned, the agriculture business has a lot of power and they are very resistant to change.

[TnRiver46]

There’s serious money to be made in the name of fear. Heck somebody paid us $200 the other day to remove a tiny snake from their house that was totally incapable of injuring a human 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

Death isn't really the concern.  It's possible, but highly unlikely.  Heavy metals are usually the issue.  And heavy metal poisoning leads to symptoms like memory and emotional problems, headaches, tremors and twitching, muscle weakness, numbness, difficulty sleeping, and lots of other weird symptoms.  The effects are slow and cumulative, since the heavy metals build up over time and don't easily leave your system once they get in.  So these symptoms don't show up all at once, so they can be hard to recognize.  And their onset is so gradual, you'll often think it's just part of getting older or the way you've always been.  

 

In any case, it's a concern, but it's not like the occasional fish fry is going to ruin your health.  There are heavy metals in most drinking water supplies and foods we eat.  You're not going to be able to completely avoid heavy metal exposure.  It's a fact of life.  And our bodies can tolerate some amount.  It's just smart, like most things, to keep it in moderation.  

Grandpa lived to be 97, his main saying it life....."everything is okay in moderation"

 

He smoked a few cigs a day, had a slice of bacon or two a day....did that for 80+ years at least.  He truly lived by that saying, and it seemed to work out for him.  

[Darth-Baiter]

our vineyards are super fertilizer heavy.  there are a few organic ones, but I'm not even sure that the even means, really.

 

what I need to do is to pull up my big boy pants and go after a lingcod!!!  YUM

now if my wife and I are trying to have a kid? no thanks.  I am DEFINITELY not eating fish from one of our reservoirs.  

 

nobody knows ourselves better than ourselves.  you all do you.  enjoy, or dont enjoy.  all good.

[the reel ess]

A friend of mine told me he only eats saltwater fish like flounder. I asked him if he knows where all that water from lakes and rivers ends up.

 

You should be able to find these advisories on your state's DNR website, like thus:

https://scdhec.gov/bow/aquatic-science-programs/fish-consumption-advisories

[Darth-Baiter]

37 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

A friend of mine told me he only eats saltwater fish like flounder. I asked him if he knows where all that water from lakes and rivers ends up.

 

You should be able to find these advisories on your state's DNR website, like thus:

https://scdhec.gov/bow/aquatic-science-programs/fish-consumption-advisories

in my wastewater class I learned a quote.

 

"there is no better solution to pollution than dilution".    I am counting on the parts per million to be manageable.  hate to grow a third nipple on my face.

[Crankin4Bass]

I don't eat what I catch. I find that it's interesting that the gov advises you not eat fish out our local river, but is our water supply. How is that ok?

[gim]

12 minutes ago, Crankin4Bass said:

I don't eat what I catch. I find that it's interesting that the gov advises you not eat fish out our local river, but is our water supply. How is that ok?

It’s just an advisory. Really no different that consuming undercooked seafood, eggs, or meat. Consume at your own risk.

[the reel ess]

58 minutes ago, gimruis said:

It’s just an advisory. Really no different that consuming undercooked seafood, eggs, or meat. Consume at your own risk.

I was discussing the consumption of fish from waters with a PCB warning with a chemical engineer who worked at my last job. He thought you would have to scoop mud off the lake bottom and eat it to get anywhere near enough to cause damage. I'm not suggesting people pay no attention to them. I don't even eat fish from clean waters much anymore.

[813basstard]

“Death isn't really the concern.”

 

That sir, is pure gold. That’s going on the tombstone

[Woody B]

4 hours ago, Crankin4Bass said:

I don't eat what I catch. I find that it's interesting that the gov advises you not eat fish out our local river, but is our water supply. How is that ok?

 

The water supply is (supposed to be) purified and treated.  I've got a friend who recently retired from our local water treatment plant.  He says all kinds of stuff like that is checked.  It's possible to filter pcbs and heavy metals out of water.  It's not currently possible to filter it out of animal tissue.   

 

 

 

I'm not sure what the current water problem is in Mississippi.  Back when Flint Michigan had lead problems with their water it wasn't lead in the actual water supply.  "They" had skimped on a chemical that was supposed to keep the water from extracting lead from older plumbing.  (or something like that)

[K1500]

On 9/26/2022 at 5:45 AM, GRiver said:

It’s scary what happening the world, at an alarming rate.

There are probably fewer warnings and the water is generally cleaner today than it was 20-30 years ago. Not that it is ‘good’ but this isn’t a new phenomenon and it has been generally improving rather than degrading.